


A Sky of Stareful Blue

by whalebone



Category: Lost
Genre: Bonding, F/F, Kissing, Swimming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:14:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,185
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23542945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whalebone/pseuds/whalebone
Summary: Kate and Sun go for a peaceful, early morning swim.
Relationships: Kate Austen/Sun-Hwa Kwon
Comments: 6
Kudos: 14
Collections: Robot Rainbow 2020





	A Sky of Stareful Blue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shamebucket](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shamebucket/gifts).



> I saw this ship tag and I just had to. I hope you enjoy!

It was early, the morning light only just gleaming gold on the tips of the trees and glittering on the ocean. Kate rose with the dawn, while most of the camp were still asleep. She saw only Claire, who was walking up and down the beach and singing softly to Aaron. Kate gave her a wave and a smile before going for her morning swim.

The ocean was chilly this early in the morning, raising goosepimples on her skin and driving away the final vestiges of sleep. She swam laps between a rock and the curve of the Island, losing herself in the steady rhythm of her strokes, counting out her breaths. For half an hour all of the worries of Island life slipped away in the tide, and there was nothing except the cool water, the taste of salt, and the strength of her body cutting through the surf. 

Finally she stopped, breathing hard, and paddled into shallower waters so she could put her feet down into the damp sand, scrunching it pleasantly between her toes. The camp was still quiet, though the morning was starting to grow bright and hot. She took a long, deep breath, closing her eyes and letting her shoulders drop down. Later that day she would trek further into the jungle, looking for groves of fruit trees they hadn’t yet picked bare. She would cut firewood, and haul fresh water from the caves. And that was if the day was peaceful, which was far from a given. But for now she had absolutely no desire to get out of the water. She let her fingers trail just below the surface, enjoying the slight push and pull of the waves.

“Good morning!”

Kate opened her eyes, and saw Sun approaching through the surf, wearing a blue bikini the colour of the morning sky above. Sun’s neat, elegant steps became clumsier as she waded deeper, and she gave a small yelp as the cold water touched the tops of her thighs.

“Morning,” Kate smiled. “Nice to have some company.”

“It’s so peaceful out here,” said Sun. “I should wake up early more often!” 

“It’s about the only time it is peaceful,” Kate agreed. “I didn’t know you swam.”

“Oh, I don’t really, or not very well. I am a little too nervous to swim like you do, after that poor woman when we first arrived.”

Kate nodded in understanding, though she didn’t much want to think about death and tragedy right now. They had quite enough of that at the best of times. “Swimming’s hard work, anyway. _This_ is the best thing to do.” 

And she lay back in the water, arms spread, and let her feet drift up from the ocean floor. She floated there, gazing up at the pearly sky, rocked gently by the movement of the water. She turned her head and saw Sun watching her with a slightly disbelieving smile on her face.

“I believe I would just sink!” she exclaimed, and Kate laughed. The idea of slender, willowy Sun sinking was ridiculous.

“You won’t,” she said encouragingly. “Give it a try! It’s so relaxing. Just let your limbs go all loose and relaxed, and the ocean will just… carry you.”

Sun’s face was doubtful, but she tucked her dark hair firmly behind her ears and leaned back into the water, imitating Kate’s posture. Kate could tell that she was too tense, and was proven right when she spluttered and gasped, surging upright before she could sink too far.

“I don’t know how you are doing that,” Sun laughed, wiping the water from her face. “You must be part dolphin.”

“Mm.” Kate closed her eyes, the sun glowing pink through her eyelids. “Or sea otter, perhaps. C’mon, try again, you’ll get it. Just relax.”

“Easy to say,” Sun muttered, but she lay back again. Kate reached out with one hand and found Sun’s slim wrist, slipped her fingers down to take her hand. Her palm wasn’t as soft as Kate had guessed it would be, covered in small callouses from digging in her garden. After a moment, Sun’s fingers closed between hers.

“Like sea otters,” said Kate, still not opening her eyes, a slow smile spreading over her face. Sun was much more relaxed now, her elegant limbs loose and gentle on the water.

They drifted for a couple of quiet minutes. The breeze rustled overhead. The water felt warm now, rather than cold. Sun’s hand fit into hers.

“This is lovely,” Sun murmured after a while. She gave Kate’s hand a squeeze. “Perhaps we can just float home.”

“Mm. Why haven’t we thought of that before?”

“Hard to steer, though.”

“True." 

"Floating to the Antarctic would be a disaster.”

Kate laughed. After a few more minutes, she sighed. “I should go back. Things to do.”

“Yes.” Sun sounded disappointed. She went to stand up, and then gave a little cry of surprise, flailing and splashing as she tried to put her feet down. She clutched at Kate’s arm, pulling her out of her float. They had drifted further from the shore than Kate had realised, and were out of their depth.

“Oops,” she said, once they had righted themselves and were treading water. “Yeah, maybe floating away isn’t the right idea.”

“No.” Sun gave her a look. “I think I prefer to keep my feet on the ground.” Her expression turned suddenly mischievous, and she splashed a wave of water right over Kate. 

“Hey!” Kate spluttered and laughed. “It’s not my fault!”

“You were the sea otter in charge,” said Sun, with a haughty toss of her head, a small smile on her lips. “You have led me astray.”

Kate grinned. “Oh, have I?” she teased, and splashed Sun right back. 

Sun shrieked, and then they were both laughing, splashing up huge waves of shimmering water, until they were both dripping and panting, and no nearer the shore. Sun was laughing, her eyes sparkling, and she wrapped her arms around Kate’s shoulders so she could lean on her. 

“We should go back,” she said. “You are the swimmer, so you will need to take me.”

Water droplets clung Sun’s eyelashes, her dark hair plastered to her head and gleaming gold in the morning sun. Her damp arms were warm about Kate’s shoulders. Almost unbidden, Kate’s hands found Sun’s waist, the gentle curve of her. As they trod water, their legs brushed, calves and ankles and knees. A gleam of water slid down the curve of Sun’s cheek and clung to her lower lip.

Sun kissed her, just once, sweetly. 

“Oh,” she whispered, pulling back. “Kate, I…”

Kate trailed her fingertips up the length of her spine, and returned the kiss. Sun's lips were slightly chilled, tasting of salt, but the inside of her mouth was beautifully warm.

“Oh,” said Sun, again, wonder in her voice this time. 

“Yeah,” said Kate, unable to stop the smile spreading over her face. She took Sun’s hand again. “Come on, let’s get back to camp.”

Sun smiled, and squeezed her hand. Above, the blue morning sky gleamed in the sun.


End file.
